The Saint Lorenzo is situated in the Saw of the Demand, with 2271 metres of altitude is the highest beak of The Rioja.
The beak of Saint Lorenzo with his 2.271 metres of altitude is the highest mountain of autonomous community of The Rioja and the second but high of the Iberian System after the Moncayo.
It forms part of the Saw of the Demand and exist two typical accesses to this beak: the first that rises from the population of Ezcaray and the second that rises from the known municipality of Saint Millán of the Cogolla.
We decant us by this second option, since the first rises practicamente by the Tracks of ski of Valdzcaray.
The second option, ademas to rise to the beak but high of the Rioja, allows us visit Saint Millán of the Cogolla with his two emblmáticos monásterios: The Monastery of Yuso and the Monastery of Suso.
The Monastery of Saint Millán of Suso or Monastery of Suso («suso» means «up» in Spanish) forms part of the monumental group of two monasteries, with another built later and that situates further down, called Monastery of Saint Millán of Yuso, the two declared Heritage of the Mankind.
In the first times of the arrival of the Visigoths to the Peninsula, withdrew to this place separated and recóndito the anacoreta Aemilianus (Millán), son of a shepherd. Here it lived like ermitaño, received in a small cell, dying to the age of 101 years and being buried in a grave excavated in the rock.
The small monastery of Suso built around the rupestrian cell of the ermitaño. In a first stage (5th century and principles of the SAW) excavate caves taking advantage of oquedades of the terrain, which distribute in two levels allocated to rooms, and other two to oratorio, where at present situate the cenotafio of Saint Millán and the osario.
The Real Monastery of Saint Millán of Yuso (yuso meant «down» in Spanish ancient) was commanded to build in the year 1053 by the king navarro García Sánchez III of Navarra. The history of his foundation goes joined to a legend based in a miracle of saint Millán. The king García was very worshipper of Saint Millán. As it finished to found the big monastery of Santa María the Real of Nájera in this city that was Court of the realm, wanted to carry there the mortal remains of the Saint, that were buried in the monastery of Saint Millán of Suso. On 29 May 1053 they placed the rests of the Saint in a cart thrown by bueyes and like this undertook the trip, with big dissatisfaction of the monks that there remained desolados by the loss of his master. When they arrived to the flat, near of the river, the bueyes detained and no longer wanted to go back to walk; there was not form to force them. The king and all the comitiva comprised that that was a miracle, that Saint Millán was imposing his will of not happening of there and be buried again in those places. It was then when the king commanded to build the recent monastery, to the that called Yuso (down), in comparison with the one of up (Suso).
The importance of this enclave, mainly the monastery of Suso, is not only artistic and religious, but also linguistic and literary. Here, a monk wrote the Glosses Emilianenses, that were anotaciones aclaratorias in the margins of the pages written in Latin. Said anotaciones were written in romance or in a precastellano little evolved concerning the Latin. In this monastery appear to his time the first anotaciones written in Basque, by what has considered the cradle of said Hispanic romances and of the Basque. Here it inhabited likewise the monk and first poet of name known in Spanish, Gonzalo of Berceo.
| June 2010 | ||||||
 Place |
 Days |
 Length |
 Desnivel  |
 Desnivel  |
 Difficulty |
 Type route |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Rioja | 1 | 20 Km. | 1220 m. | 1220 m. | Easy |  |
| June 2010 | ||
|
Place |
Days |
Length |
|---|---|---|
| The Rioja | 1 | 20 Km. |
|
Desnivel |
Desnivel |
Difficulty |
Type route |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1220 m. | 1220 m. | Easy | |
1. Saint Lorenzo
1220 m
1220 m
To arrive to the start of the footpath it is necessary to head to Saint Millán of the Cogolla. From Nájera takes the road of Rooms of the Children but immediately is necessary to divert by the LR-205 in direction to Cárdenas, Badarán and Saint Millán of the Cogolla, that will go by rising by the valley until several Kilometres afterwards will arrive to the location of River. We have to happen this location and follow rising until shelter where the asphalt finishes and continues a track of earth.
We have to leave the vehicle in this shelter, situated to 1.120 metres of desnivel, and take the track of earth being able to cut across in some points in which the track zigzaguea, whenever the vegetation, a leafy hayedo, do not allow it. Once out of the hayedo the track gives a surround that it suits to avoid, taking a senda that directs directly to the collado Artaza, after some 2 hours of trek.
In the collado Artaza (2h - 7,75km - 1825m) abandon the track and go up by a senda that starts to the right and that leaves to the left a pinewood. Linking later with a track (2:05h - 8,50km - 1930m) that carries us until the collado that separates the beaks of Head Parda and of the Saint beak Lorenzo (2:20h - 9,45km - 2035m).
From here it achieves the summit following first a track of ski until the base of a telesilla (2:30h - 10,12km - 2125m) and afterwards by a pedregal of strong promotion until achieving the peak of the Saint Lorenzo (2:50h - 10,50km - 2271m).
Of turn to the collado, can rise rise to the Head Parda (2.116 m), by the loma in the same direction (noreste). It is necessary to calculate a half hour more in going up and return to the collado.
Profile of the stage: Parking (1.120 m) - collado Artaza (2h - 7,75km - 1825m) - track (2:05h - 8,50km - 1930m) - Collado (2:20h - 9,45km - 2035m) - basic of a telesilla (2:30h - 10,12km - 2125m) - Saint Beak Lorenzo (3h - 9,45km - 2035m).
PDF - Description
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GPX - Track
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Bonita ascensión the Saturday in the morning. To the 10:00 we leave the car where finishes the road after Place of the Rio. After going up by the track and cut across the surround final, plant us in the collado. We confuse us to the hour to cross the pinewood, by what had to give a small turn of more, but afterwards already direct us to the telesilla and later to the peak. A stupendous day and some wonderful sights. We go down by the correct way and arrive to the 15:00 past.
It wanted to appreciate to the that has written this post, since his clear indications helped us muchisimo to the hour to do the route.